It's not the hydroton; it's your prep method.
The stuff is the cat's ass; you just have to 'set' the pH before adding plants. Run your system with no plants for a few days, whcih you have to do anyway to check for leaks and determine your flood/drain timing. During that time, check the pH in the res 2x/day and bring it down to 5.8-6.0 with Nitric or Phosphoric acid. When it stops dropping, do a complete res change, add your plants and nutes, and rock on.

__________________
"Careful what you carry- 'cause the Man is wise- you are still an outlaw in their eyes" -Steely Dan
"Multiple pieces of anecdotal evidence do not equal scientific fact." -Rhizome
"If the Queen Bee ain't happy... the hive isn't happy!"-Dutch Pimp
http://boards.cannabis.com/basic-gro...e-harvest.html<-It's a grow guide! Enjoy!
http://boards.cannabis.com/plant-pro...hy-how-do.html <- all the boring stuff about soil chemistry you never wanted to know
http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/...ml#post1837597 <-how to make canna caramels
http://boards.cannabis.com/grow-log/...ml#post1820481 <-illustrated cloning guide permalink
Contacting Her Dankness: stinkyattic at hushm4il-please use the same discretion you do on the boards, thanks.
I don't claim to know the first thing about growing anything; hell, I can't make a Chia pet sprout.